RIP Mark Conover (1988 US Olympic Trials champ). “Mark crossed the finish line last night at 11:23 p.m.," Kelly Conover, Mark's wife, wrote on Caring Bridge. In addition to his wife, he is survived three triplets (now 14), girls Audrey, Marley, and Cordell https://t.co/2wgRH6mOONpic.twitter.com/OLSaPWs0UJ
i was a teammate of Marks and we were roommates the summer of 84. It's so long ago. don't hold me to the correct years. I believe he won D3 national cross in 80'. In 82, Humboldt went D2 and Mark won. The winner of D2 gets entry the same season in to D1 championships , where he also earned all American status.
i was a teammate of Marks and we were roommates the summer of 84. It's so long ago. don't hold me to the correct years. I believe he won D3 national cross in 80'. In 82, Humboldt went D2 and Mark won. The winner of D2 gets entry the same season in to D1 championships , where he also earned all American status.
I overlapped with Mark at HSU for two years. He was the hardest working, most dedicated runner I ever knew.
I can't say I knew him well. He did not suffer fools lightly, and I was a fool. As a shy kid away from home for the first time, I fell in with the party crowd as a way to fit in. My running suffered a lot. I never had a conversation about it with him, but the vibe he gave me was that I was wasting my talent and hurting the team. He was right.
It was a huge thrill to see him win the 88 trials. I can't say it surprised me that much. I always knew he could do something like that.
(I can proudly say I beat Mark on the track the one and only one time I raced him. Luckily it was a 1500. I'm pretty sure Mark could not run a 4:16 mile. He seemed to be able to run 4:40 miles all day long, though.)
I want to add, that in my years of running, I must have personally known dozens of runners far more talented than Mark. None achieved what he did. Most did not run the times he did. Most did not achieve All-American status. Most did not win big time races. None made an Olympic team, let alone win the trials.
Mark showed that it was not always the most talent that mattered. It's a combination of talent, determination, strong will, and (well) a little bit of luck (among other things).
Frank Gifford anchoring. Imagine Troy Aikman or Romo covering the Olympic Trials these days.
My prayers go to his family. Thanks for sharing links, I got a kick out of the commentary also. Frank Gifford nonchalantly commenting about the NFL draft. Nowadays the Draft is an epic event in of itself. Raiders picking up Tim Brown with 6th pick was the move of the day, outside of Mark’s great finish. RIP to a legend.
Not to be nitpicky, and I know nothing is meant by it, but I hate the whole "lost his battle" thing. not about winning or losing, ya know?
RIP, and agreed that "battle" is the wrong language.
Cancer killed him. Some are lucky that their cancer is curable or manageable. But nobody who dies from cancer lost a battle, though, their treatment just wasn't as effective for reasons out of their control.
The biggest compliment and the best tribute to Mark is that a thread about his life and death has stayed classy….on LetsRun! This speaks volumes about the kind of person Mark was and shows that you guys can keep it classy. Well done and a great but solemn thread. Mark would likely be proud and his family has every reason to be proud.
Who remembers the Runner’s World interview soon after Mark won the trials? In one of the accompanying photos he was sitting in a hot tub, eating a Twinkie.
If I remember correctly, it was a pink hostess snowball, not a Twinkie. I've been looking online to see if there is anywhere that interview (and picture) might be.
If I remember correctly, it was a pink hostess snowball, not a Twinkie. I've been looking online to see if there is anywhere that interview (and picture) might be.
I remember. He was also holding a beer which had a label on it which said "Beer".
I knew Mark through coaching. At 20 years his junior I did not know him for his athletic achievements but for his coaching accumen. I had seen his success as an athlete competing against his teams and then as a young coach, coaching against them. Mark was always kind and humble and took me under his wing. I cherished my time spent with him. I will miss running into him at the pub at the end of a long day at the track. Love you Mark. Rest easy, you've earned it!